In this issue...
M.E.B.A. is back in the LNG business!...MOLA pact mailed... Anthrax shots return...Our fragrant, olfactory edition hits you right between the eyes as we get on the scent and sniff out the latest aromatic maritime items. Avoid malodorous, nasally newsletters that aren't up to snuff and give you a sinus headache. P.U.! Pick the weekly that comes up smelling like a rose. Helping you breathe easy without blowing it, the Telex Times has a nose for news!

M.E.B.A. SIGNS MOU WITH EXCELERATE ENERGY FOR LNG OFFICERS
On Tuesday, March 14, 2007, M.E.B.A. President Ron Davis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Excelerate Energy for the utilization of M.E.B.A. deck and engineering officers onboard their liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The MOU, which recognizes M.E.B.A. as the exclusive supplier of U.S. officers, involves Excelerate opening its vessels and terminals worldwide to M.E.B.A. members in order to achieve recency qualifications to serve as officers in the LNG trade. In addition, once qualified, M.E.B.A. officers will begin to mix into the fleet as shipboard deck and engineering officers.

Ron Davis stated, "After several years of educating the government and industry on the need for U.S. officers to be employed in the international LNG fleet, M.E.B.A. has reached an important milestone with a new agreement with Excelerate. We have been communicating with Excelerate for over two years and I am confident that we will continue to work very well together. I thank the M.E.B.A. membership and retirees for supporting the U.S. LNG crewing initiative by sending in over a thousand letters for the recent Maritime Administration docket. I also appreciate the dedication and foresight of Maritime Administrator Sean Connaughton for pushing forward with a U.S. merchant mariner crewing initiative for LNG vessels."

There are still details that are being worked out. For instance, M.E.B.A. is currently working with appropriate government agencies and embassies for the purpose of licensing acceptance for U.S. Coast licenses and qualifications onboard international flag LNG vessels. In addition, M.E.B.A. is working with Excelerate's partner Exmar, NV on taxes, benefit structure, and qualification documentation. In the near future, Excelerate and Exmar will be visiting the Calhoon M.E.B.A. School for an in-depth tour and review of M.E.B.A.'s world-renowned training program including its Transas LNG-capable bridge simulator.

There will be more details forthcoming in the near future.

Excelerate is a proven leader in the mechanics of supplying liquefied natural gas. Excelerate has successfully commissioned the commercial operation of its Gulf Gateway Energy Bridge Deepwater Port. Indeed, Gulf Gateway is the world's first offshore liquefied natural gas receiving facility and the first new LNG regasification facility in North America in over 20 years. Moreover, Excelerate completed the construction of and put into operation its Gulf Gateway deepwater in less than 15 months after receiving permitting approvals. Gulf Gateway is located off the coast of Louisiana and receives Excelerate's LNG vessels. These vessels have an LNG capacity of 138,000 cubic meters that is equivalent to 3 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Excelerate is the creator of a new generation of LNG technology with successful commissioning of the Energy Bridge system that utilizes Energy Bridge Regasification Vessels (EBRV). The Energy Bridge system consists of Excelerate's shipboard regasification technology and a submerged offloading buoy. The EBRV retrieves the submerged offloading buoy connected to an underwater pipeline, and draws it into the specially designed compartment within the EBRV. It then begins the process of regasifying its LNG cargo and transferring the gas to markets onshore.

Based on innovative and proven technologies, Energy Bridge can meet the growing natural gas demands of the United States without the need for land-based terminals that must be constructed in order to provide regasification.

Excelerate is currently engaged in the permitting process for its Northeast Gateway project off the coast of Massachusetts that M.E.B.A. is assisting with in the permitting process. Northeast Gateway will allow natural gas to be delivered to New England markets through a new subsea pipeline that will connect to the existing offshore pipeline for the delivery of natural gas to shore.

The Calhoon M.E.B.A. Engineering School recently installed a cutting-edge Bridge Simulation System designed and built by Transas USA. The interactive program allows students to simultaneously control simulated ships utilizing any of 56 different types of vessels in over 20 different ports. In addition to the ten ships that can be controlled within one scenario, instructors can further intensify the simulation by implanting multiple computer-controlled ships into the scenario. Unlike many existing bridge simulators, each station, operating a different type of vessel (including LNG vessels), can interact with every other station simultaneously. The LNG cargo simulation program allows students to dock, load and discharge LNG vessels. Moreover, the computerized system even encompasses the terminal-side operations of an LNG facility. It accommodates upgrades to adapt to ever-evolving Coast Guard and International Maritime Organization training and testing requirements.

MOLA PACT MAILED OUT
The Merchant Officers' Labor Alliance (MOLA), a cooperation between M.E.B.A. and the MM&P, has been sent out to the membership for ratification. This is a 90-day mail ballot that must be returned by June 14, 2007. A rank and file tally committee will be elected at the regular June membership meetings. They will convene in Washington D.C. and tabulate the ballots along with an Impartial Administrator.

The MOLA agreement formalizes the cooperation that the two unions already enjoy. It charts out a system for us to work together on items of mutual interest. It is NOT a merger. The pact was crafted with the aid of both memberships who helped fine-tune agreement language.

The MOLA has been posted on our website and is available in the union halls as well.

BBS RESTARTED AFTER SERVICE UPDATE
The members-only electronic bulletin board was down for only four hours (after midnight on Tuesday) as necessary updates were implemented and a more secure system was put in place. Members and retirees, who had received their new passwords in advance, were happily posting messages by breakfast time on Tuesday. After almost eight years in operation (the BBS was commenced in mid-1999), the system was due for such maintenance which also involves the issuance of new passwords for access. Those members who have not yet applied for their new passwords will find that their old access codes will not work. Members wishing to read or post messages on the BBS need to forward a valid email address to mebabbs@d1meba.org and list the itemized number on their dues receipt. If you are on dues check-off then state that in the e-mail and write down the company you sail with. If you are a retiree, you will need to send us a valid email address and to state the year in which you retired. Retirees should also send their information to mebabbs@d1meba.org.

ANTHRAX IMMUNIZATIONS RESUME
The Navy has announced the resumption of the mandatory anthrax vaccine immunization program. This will require M.E.B.A. mariners sailing on ships under Military Sealift Command control to receive inoculations if their ship travels into the central command area of responsibility for 15 or more consecutive days. M.E.B.A. mariners serve on four dozen MSC Auxiliary and Special Mission ships as well as several other MSC-contracted vessels.

The program had been in effect since 1998 and mariners under MSC Command were being vaccinated during Operation Iraqi Freedom. However, a Federal Judge's decision put a halt to the immunizations in 2004 until the safety of the program could be ascertained. Last year, the Defense Department made anthrax vaccinations mandatory again for U.S. troops and some department civilians serving in the U.S. Central Command Theater of operations and on the Korean peninsula. Emphasizing that the anthrax vaccine is, in fact, safe and effective and that the threat from anthrax is real, the Navy issued the latest decision.

PAY YOUR DUES!
Any member or applicant two or more years in arrears on their dues and/or service charges will be put under review by the District Investigative Committee and WILL BE DROPPED from the membership or applicant rolls. If you are in arrears and desire to retain your membership or applicant status, you must contact Headquarters immediately to make payment on your arrearage to return to good standing.

TAL SIMPKINS SAILS INTO THE SUNSET
Maritime soldier Tal Simpkins died on Sunday at the age of 79 after sustaining injuries incurred in an auto accident. Tal had devoted 50 years to American maritime labor and the seafaring community and had been serving as the President of the United Seamen's Service helping mariners around the world. He also recently retired as the Executive Vice President of the Labor Management Maritime Committee based in Washington, DC and had also served as Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Maritime Committee.

International Longshoreman's Association President John Bowers said, "Tal Simpkins generously gave of his expertise, time and true dedication to maritime labor during his half-century of commitment to the benefit of our industry. His voice in Washington will be missed as will his leadership of United Seamen's Service during difficult years of transition.

Gloria Tosi, President of Tosi Maritime Consultants called Tal "one of the unsung heroes of our industry. He was a very effective lobbyist for maritime labor for decades."

An M.E.B.A. contingent was on hand to pay their respects at the funeral that took place yesterday in Northern Virginia. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, who has a strong maritime background, also attended and spoke of her high opinion of Tal as a person and his maritime expertise. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be offered to United Seamen's Service, 635 Fourth Ave., Ground Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11232.

FORWARD ANY ADDRESS CHANGES
You can continue to forward your address changes to us using an address change form provided on our website. Address changes now require a signature for validation along with your new information. We have provided a copy of the address change form, in either a .pdf or a Word document on our website. You can get it by visiting the main page (www.meba.us), going to the "Members Only" tab and clicking on "Address Changes." The form can be printed out by the member or retiree, filled out completely with a signature and faxed or mailed to Headquarters. Those of you with scanners can complete the document add your signature then scan it and e-mail it back to us.

Those active and retired members who have not received mailings from Headquarters such as the Marine Officer or other important information may want to log onto our website to clarify their address. Because the M.E.B.A. Plans office in Baltimore and Headquarters databases are NOT linked you must also forward a signed change of address form to the Plans Office if you wish to update your information with them.

CAA GOLF OUTING - SHIPMATES LINING UP TO BRING DOWN THE CHAMPS
Word has it that shipmates from various vessels are signing up as teammates at the upcoming CAA Golf Tournament in a quest to dethrone the reigning champions. Last year's aces included John Farrell, Rick Haynes, Gary Gregorek and Dan LeSage who had been sailing as Master, Chief Engineer, Chief Mate and 2nd Engineer aboard the E-Ships vessel M/V MAERSK NEVADA. Their title is being eyed jealously by numerous members who are vowing to hoist the fabulous U&F Cup this year. The event takes place on June 30th but the registration period comes to a screeching halt on June 15th, so sign up now!

Rooms are available for those who wish to stay overnight. You can check in as soon as 4 p.m. on the 29th and a go to a special barbecue scheduled from 5-7 on that day. On the Saturday, there will be a morning brunch from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. so members can fuel up for the golf tournament. It will be a four person/Chief's Choice format. Golfing will take place at the Easton Club, 28449 Clubhouse Drive. Following the battle royale on the course, there will be a buffet dinner at the Easton Club. Those wishing to stay the night on Saturday can wake up to a continental breakfast the next day beginning at 10 a.m. Sponsors are still needed for golf holes and tees, golf balls and shirts. Hole & Tee sponsorship is only $100. $135 covers the whole weekend per person (golf with dinner, room, breakfasts, BBQ.) It will be $110 per person for those who wish to golf and take advantage of the dinner but don't wish to stay overnight or go to the BBQ. It's $50 per spouse of the player for dinner & BBQ.

You can visit the School's website to find out more or to get a sign-up sheet or sponsor form. For more info, e-mail Mike Fanning at mjfann@dmv.com or Rick Simonson at simonson@mebaschool.org. Jessica at the School can also handle inquiries. She can be reached at (410) 822-9600, ext. 306.

NEXT REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday April 2 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, April 3 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, April 4 - Calhoon M.E.B.A. School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, April 5 - Los Angeles, New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, April 6 - Honolulu.